the funniest day...

So, to sum in up. Wednesday was probably the funniest day this semester. Altogether, Wednesdays are just long in general. I have an 8 1/2 hour lab and then lecture after. Its rough, but its all about food so Im happy and in my happy little world. Last Wednesday specifically though was funny. I made soup. Not to hard, but i had never worked with ginger, made stock, and never made soup from scratch before. So from the start it was a nervous task for me to take on. Then to top it off, I spilt veggie oil everywhere, got ginger in my eye, cut two fingers on the same hand, and was tearing up worse than any pms day from cutting a million onions. And, when the soup was done, a lady's comment was that it "tastes like baby food." The flavor was great, but carrot ginger soup is a puree soup. Thats just what it tastes like. Altogether it was so fun though. Me and my lab mates were laughing so hard. Especially Emily. She is a crack up as it is, but we were laughing so hard I almost peed a little. HAH.

As for every other class, I am taking my last general ed class. This English class is amazing, but my teacher is quite the hippy. I love it. I love how we "pinky-up" with a partner at the beginning and end of every class. I am learning to write better than ever before. Maybe a career that combines both is in store!?!? Who knows?

to eat is to live, to love is to cook....

...this is my motto. On my final for my careers class, it asked what my personal motto would be towards a career in the hospitality industry. I didn't quite understand this, but after some heavy duty pondering on teh subject, this is what I came up with. Kinda after the fact, but thats ok.

I really feel that yes, eating is a necessity (spelling?), but food is not only a way to survive and keep you alive, it is to live. It is a lifeline, and a common ground by which all people co-exist and live together in this vast, crazy world. No matter what is going wron, what kind of day you had, what emotional state you are in, no one can deny good food. Every one needs, wants, and loves to eat. And no one can deny the desire to eat. We need it to support us, to live.

And to love is to cook. Love in my eyes is to give your heart and soul. To put in effort towards more than just yourself towards one thing, person, or goal. Also, to put faith and trust in someone besides yourself.To cook means making sure everything comes out perfect, take time to put a magic touch on every part of the meal to show affection to someone through this creation that was made especially for them. Love makes people happy. Food makes people happy. To me these two make the world go round.


and this is what i would name my cookbook If I get that far one day. NO! let me rephrase that... WHEN I get my cookbook.

Oh and I think Im getting a camera for Christmas, so food pictures will be a result of that for sure!!

and catering went well. I feel like we were on dinner impossible with that really masculine chef dude who does impossible dinners. I know how he feels now. Just on a smaller scale, and not on television, and Im not a buff chef dude. But it was the same. We slaved all day, scoped out the deals at Costco for the perfect tri-tip cuts, then in a flash we dropped it off and we were done. I felt like I just had a baby with him and then we sent it to the adoption agency, dropped it off, and we were done. Didn't get to see it grow up. It was sad...but so worth it! And I feel so much closer to finding my "niche" I feel something brewing. I just really wish I had a direct connection to God's home phone sometimes. I really just want to chat with him. I really want to see what Im meant for sometimes. It would help me out a lot!

But any ways, all finals went well. Classes are over till January. Until then just killin time with baking, and Christmas.Got my books for next semester! Im pumped for nutrition class. woo hoo!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!

updates.

So, here are some updates:
-chef scared the crap out of me and ever since the falling cake incident and mushy bread incident, I thought I was going to fail the class. But thankfully so, I didnt. I re-did my bread final and it came out amazing. Cinnamon raisin bread mmm. Let's just say I got an A. And as for my cake, he said it wasnt my fault that it fell over. YAY! So baking is over with! Im excited about that.
-Me and Matt have a catering job this friday. Only for 20 people, but it is for the nursing board at Stan State. And Matt wants to be a nurse, so this is pretty much a make or break job. So, crossing my fingers that it goes well!
-Up at Columbia, there are weird things that I have never experienced. SNOW DAYS!! Here in Modesto I have never seen it snow, let alone have a snow day.
-I got my classes for next semester. B lab, which is more extensive cooking class. We actually get to do more than prep sandwiches and over easy eggs. This class will be so fun to dive into the fine details of cooking and the "real stuff." Also, I will be taking a nutrition class. Hopefully this makes me realize what I am consuming so I stop eating all this junk food crap that I hate to say that I love.

as for now, it is winter break! Finally, no more finals, no more classes until January. So until then it will be at home cooking...

finals....

hmmm so lets see. To sum it all up, I spent 7 1/2 hours in the bakery making bread and a triple layer chiffon cake. Home made strawberry peach whipped cream, french buttercream, and a marbled chiffon cake. I put my heart and soul into that cake. Then I go to put it on the counter to grade, come back after cleaning and it has fallen. hmm... embarassing to say the least. I was crushed. I had a slight mental break down on the way home with my boyfriend worried sick that I was going to crash my car out of pure fluster-ed-ness. (?) Good news though, my teacher saw the cake before it fell. But nevertheless, he still saw it fall. So who knows what my grade will see. As for the bread, the moral of the story is never improvise with baking. Banana turns bread verrryyy mushy, and you cant use oats to replace wheat bran. Kinda doesnt work...So that one I am going to re-do : )

As for my mental health, Its been one of those weeks. I seriously want to escape. I am contimplating not taking any cooking labs. Yes it will be sad, but it will be a break from tedious cooking and give me free time to cook food at home that isnt being judged from all aspects. I do love my school, dont get me wrong. Its just hard. I want to crawl up in a little ball and pitty myself, but I know that would be the total wrong thing to do at this point. I think instead I will drown my frustrations is cookies, and look on the brightside. Thats the only thing I can do.

Hey, and the cake was delicious. Just ugly. So thats a plus. I can bake, I just need work on the pretty parts of food.... that will come later.

Finals have arrived!

So... I'm starting to think this whole "cooking" thing just isnt for me. I love to cook, and I love food, but after a few guest speakers and a crappy day in the bakery with white chocolate frosting (long story). I am learning that this is definitely a career that is a day to day adventure. I am frustrated one minute, creative the next, and just plain confused most of the time. I know that this is the reason I am in school for this, and what else would I do? But the problem is I feel like I know nothing at all. People are making reductions and cakes that are beautiful. I feel in over my head with projects and math and I know I am just running away from homework and putting things off until the last minute. I am worried that I will not finish or be good enough as of this point. Hopefully my final projects save me, and maybe this is a sign I shouldnt take as many classes next semester. I am just frustrated and tired, and dead lines are killing me. Its hard to be so positive when everythings on the line. I hope that it all goes well.

Let me put it this way...

my baking final-berry chifon mad hatter hat with polka dots and a buttermilk walnut bread with a banana cinnamon swirl. Well see how it goes...
The rest is all written papers and tests, but im stressed!!! I hope this semster just goes by fast and next semester isnt to bad.

my vision...

I would love to own a bakery cafe. I would serve breakfast, brunch and lunch. I would have fresh pastries, yummy sandwiches, fresh baked breads, and great coffee. It would have many comfy couches and a very homey atmosphere. It would feel like your house but much better food. It would cater to any one and everyone. I would have random art classes, and cooking demonstrations once or twice a month and would support my local community and churches. I would have a diverse menu, but with some oldies but goodies. It would be a place to eat, enjoy, and relax. I think a place that is a great place is one that gets every sense flowing. When you walk in you smell the smells of chocolate and bread and spices all working together, you see colorful flowers and plates and coffee mugs, you taste the great flavors in the food, and you feel the warm fire from the fire place or the nice comfy couches, and you hear people saying "HEY HOW ARE YOU TODAY?" or you hear great music and the sound of mixers and espresso machines..

things i must have:
-crepes
-breakfast sandwiches
-coffee/espresso bar
-fresh bread and pastries
-wine and fancy mimosas
-purple and red and orange
-comfy couches
-funny nice people who smile a lot
-a deck or porch..outside seating with tea lights and comfy outdoor furniture
-catering/preordering
-music..live music or just great music playing
-great soup and stews
-fire place
-free wi fi
-paintings and art
-community bulletin board

cakes, cakes, and more cakes...

So its been a month or so, but in this last month I have made cakes up the wazoo. I dont know if that's politically correct, but its true. I was dreading cakes! To bake a cake takes patience and precision. So many things could go wrong. I didnt see the point of making a frosting for an hour by scratch, then baking a cake from scratch for another hour than having to wait for another couple hours to frost it than eat it, but my heart has been changed... I hate when that happens. I was going along just fine without liking cakes, then all the sudden I successfully accomplish a good cake and eat a really moist cake so I cave. Darn... here goes my waist line : /

Now, I love making cakes. I've made devil's food cake (chocolate), silver cake(the most "normal" of all the cakes...comparable to box mix), chiffon cake (really moist sponge cake), and am going to now attemt the imfamous genois cake(a sponge cake on crack). Genois is a difficult, tempermental cake that incorporates folded in egg whites and melted butter. Which under any circumstances would be a bad combo, but done right and it is supposd to be the most moist cake someone will ever try. So we will see.

I still have to decide on a cake to do for my final. It is now turning into being a cake show for my friends to make the cut for a final decision. It is a choice between red velvet cake, carrot cake, lemon pineapple chiffon, or an experimental peanut butter jelly cake.. the last one is still in the works. SO well see what happens.

All I do know is, is ever since I've become a baker, I am happier and so are my friends and boyfriend : ) I am slowly realizing that even people who say they dont have a sweet tooth do, and every one is a little bit happier with some sugar in their diet.